The Million Dollar Question
by twistedcandy
Summary: He's madly in love with her- now she's heartbroken. What happened? The answer to THAT question is the Million Dollar one.
1. Chapter 1

_Hey guys! I know I'm being a bitchy little bitch by putting this up when I haven't updated any of my stories in like a week, but this idea came into my head at like 4 o clock in the morning and I couldn't get it out of my head, so here it is!_

_The Million Dollar Question_

_Summary: He's madly in love with her and now she's heartbroken. Everyone's dying to know what happened in between, and that's the million-dollar question. _

You see, He's madly in love with her and now she's heartbroken. Everyone's dying to know what happened in between, and that's the million- dollar question.

Damon Salvatore, resident sexy bad-ass vampire had fallen madly in love with resident good- girl beauty Elena Gilbert. You see, Damon promised her that he would never fall out of love with her; Elena Gilbert promised that she would never fall out of love with Damon Salvatore, and she kept her promise. But he didn't…

Damon Salvatore, resident sexy bad-ass vampire had fallen out of love with good girl beauty, Elena Gilbert. Elena Gilbert, good girl beauty, was still in love with Damon Salvatore.

Elena promised she would never love somebody after Stefan, but then Damon opened her eyes and she did, she fell in love with Damon.

After all, everyone knows that opposites attract, Damon and Elena were fated to be together for all of eternity, everybody knew that.

It was obvious stuff, when Damon took Elena to the mall, little children only the age of 7 stared up at the perfectly matched couple with large innocent eyes. Those little children, asked their parents why those two adults were looking at each other like that, and the parents smilingly told their children that "that couple" was looking at each other like that because they were truly in love and knew it themselves.

4 years later, those 7 year olds who were now cool 11 year olds and had separated in cliques. The girls hung out at the trendy Starbucks tucked away in a cozy corner of the Mystic Falls Mall and gossiped over their steaming cinnamon lattes.

Later, they would all pick up their small Coach handbags and strut in perfect synchronization over to the hot barista and flirt miserably with him. Soon after they realized their flirting wasn't working, they re-ordered their cinnamon lattes and gossip at their booth again. When the couple that they had seen when they were 7 walked in, the girls stared at them, of course the girls remembered that couple.

That couple was the couple that stared at each other with tender, never-ending love and held hands wherever they went. The girls knew not to flirt with the guy with the stunning blue eyes and soft black hair that was always adorable tousled on his head, they knew what he had with that girl was true love.

And it was part of the girl code to not steal another guy if he was with someone else.

Oh and it was obvious you were gonna lose if you go up against somebody much older and much cooler than you. So the girls who enjoyed cinnamon lattes at Starbucks after school every day and flirted with the hot barista who worked there just settled on admiring the brown-haired beauty's killer wardrobe that no doubt her beautiful boy-friend brought her.

The boys who hung out by the dumpsters at the back of the mall, the same boys who usually wolf whistled at any girl who walked by and talk about things 11 year olds are supposed to not know kept their mouths shut and just stared in silence at the couple who walked by.

After the couple left, they all said they were silent because they were staring under the girl's skirt, but truthfully, they all just wished that when they got older, they would find a girl that would love them like that. A girl who would love them unconditionally.

So what happened? What happened to the seemingly everlasting love that the whole town knew Damon and Elena had shared?

How exactly did it go from him being madly in love with her and always being beside her, to her being heartbroken and crying in her bed, all alone?

You see, everybody only thinks one thing when they see Elena Gilbert, "What happened to you and Damon?", and you see, that's the million dollar question.

The Million Dollar Question that everybody's dying to know….

**Whoa! I hope you guys like the intro to my new story, The Million Dollar Question. I have never written a first chapter to a story like this, I usually just jump into the story so I hope you guys liked this. Please review and hugs and kisses! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_4 years later, those 7 year olds who were now cool 11 year olds and had separated in cliques. The girls hung out at the trendy Starbucks tucked away in a cozy corner of the Mystic Falls Mall and gossiped over their steaming cinnamon lattes. _

_Later, they would all pick up their small Coach handbags and strut in perfect synchronization over to the hot barista and flirt miserably with him. Soon after they realized their flirting wasn't working, they re-ordered their cinnamon lattes and gossip at their booth again. When the couple that they had seen when they were 7 walked in, the girls stared at them, of course the girls remembered that couple._

_That couple was the couple that stared at each other with tender, never-ending love and held hands wherever they went. The girls knew not to flirt with the guy with the stunning blue eyes and soft black hair that was always adorable tousled on his head, they knew what he had with that girl was true love._

_And it was part of the girl code to not steal another guy if he was with someone else._

_Oh and it was obvious you were gonna lose if you go up against somebody much older and much cooler than you. So the girls who enjoyed cinnamon lattes at Starbucks after school every day and flirted with the hot barista who worked there just settled on admiring the brown-haired beauty's killer wardrobe that no doubt her beautiful boy-friend brought her. _

_The boys who hung out by the dumpsters at the back of the mall, the same boys who usually wolf whistled at any girl who walked by and talk about things 11 year olds are supposed to not know kept their mouths shut and just stared in silence at the couple who walked by. _

_After the couple left, they all said they were silent because they were staring under the girl's skirt, but truthfully, they all just wished that when they got older, they would find a girl that would love them like that. A girl who would love them unconditionally._

_So what happened? What happened to the seemingly everlasting love that the whole town knew Damon and Elena had shared?_

_How exactly did it go from him being madly in love with her and always being beside her, to her being heartbroken and crying in her bed, all alone?_

_You see, everybody only thinks one thing when they see Elena Gilbert, "What happened to you and Damon?", and you see, that's the million dollar question._

_The Million Dollar Question that everybody's dying to know…._

Elena Gilbert sat in her room eyeing herself in the mirror uneasily, she nervously twirled the tip of her long mahogany high ponytail with her finger and absently used a makeup compact and began to do her eyes in the classic smoky eyed look. She slid out of her warm grey, sweat pants from Victoria's Secret PINK and her chocolate brown sweatshirt from Ritzier and into her grey beaded dress with purple laces up the sides and into a pair of demure cranberry purple tights. Elena padded over to her closet and fished out a pair of black ankle boots, she slid them on and grabbed small black clutch with a gemstone buckle out of her dresser drawer and stumbled out of her room and into the kitchen.

" Hey Jenna, um, can I go out to the Grill?" Elena asked nervously, hoping that her aunt would insist that she stayed home for some reason.

Jenna brightly grinned at Elena, "You're not 14 anymore, your 24! Go out to the Grill, have fun, get drunk!" after a seconds thought Jenna added on something else, "But don't get pregnant!"

Elena laughed at her wild aunt's antics and walked out the front door, she tried to ignore the stares that she felt prickling at her from all directions and walked down her street she stopped to say hello to the elderly woman named Lizzie who lived near the intersection.

Lizzie was wearing a yellow blouse and white trousers, the old but kind lady looked happy to see Elena, Lizzie personally felt bad for her. Elena had been through a lot of stuff that she didn't need to.

Elena continued to walk down the street and soon the familiar lights of the Mystic Grill came into view and she pushed open the door and went to go sit at a booth in the corner. A waitress with straight blonde hair that was perfect for her face went to get Elena a menu and dropped it off.

"Hello, my name is Amy and I'll be your server today. If ya need anything just holler, kay?" Amy said smilingly

Elena nodded quietly and shot a shy smile at the smiling blonde waitress, " I'm Elena," Elena reached out to shake Amy's hand and the waitress shook hands and then scampered off to serve the next customer.

Elena drowsily flipped through the menu and read it, she stopped at the pasta section and started quietly reading the names off to herself,

"Pasta Bolognese"

"Olive and Tomato sauced pasta"

"Fettuccini Alfredo"

Elena stared at the page, he made her Fettuccini Alfredo on her birthday, her 21 birthday, it had been 3 years since he had left her.

Elena squeaked quietly as she felt her head begin to ache and hurt, the memories began flooding back, breaking past the careful dam Elena had built to stop it.

_Elena woke up and stretched like a cat on her bed, she hopped off and ran into the shower. She smiled as the hot water pulsed along her back and grinned even wider when she opened the cap of her vanilla shower gel, it always woke her up in the mornings. _

_She quickly washed up and wrapped a towel around herself, and walked back to her room, a familiar blue eyed boy was sitting on her bed playing with her old, scruffy teddy bear._

_Elena quietly screamed in shock and dropped her towel, he just coolly sat there looking at Elena's face as it turned beet red and then she quickly pulled the towel back up. _

_Damon walked slowly towards her with wide arms, " Happy Birthday Kitten!" _

_Elena hugged him back carefully not wanting to drop her towel again, " Hey Damon, thanks for coming over!"_

_Elena swiftly kissed him on the lips, and ran over to her closet in which she changed into a cute black top, mini-shorts with black sheer tights underneath and merlot coloured flats. _

_Damon gave her another hug, relishing how warm and safe she felt in his arms, he kissed her passionately, wanting her to know how much he loved her. _

_Elena kissed him back, placing one hand on the smooth skin of his cheek and the other hand lightly gripping his shoulder. Damon moved to kiss her neck and jaw, but Elena timidly pushed him away,_

" _Um, uh, I'm sorry… It just…" Elena turned beet red again and hid her face in his chest_

_Damon lovingly stroked her back, "It's okay; I'll wait forever when it comes to you"_

_Elena nodded at him and then whispered in his ear, " Now, get out of my room and knock on the door and pretend you just got here mister!" Elena laughed quietly_

_Damon gave her one last 1000 mega watt smile and disappeared out the window, Elena ran downstairs and said hi to JENNA AND JEREMY._

" _Elena, Happy birthday !" Jeremy smiled at her and gave her a bear hug, he handed her a flat wrapped box and Elena ripped the wrapping open._

_Inside was a framed and coloured drawing of Damon and Elena sitting on a beautiful creek with a full moon above their heads and flora and fauna surrounding them. The frame was a mahogany with silver speckles rubbed in and it shone like a miniature sun._

" _It-it-its' beautiful!" Elena stammered, Jeremy was so awesome!_

" _I'm glad you like it," Jeremy said throwing a happy grin at her_

_Jenna came up next and gave Elena a hug, " Happy B-DAY! And here's your present!"_

_Elena ripped off the wrapping paper and stared, it was a pair of keys? Yeah keys, to what?_

_Jenna grinned, " I brought you a condo it Upper City Flats, a penthouse!"_

_Elena and Jenna did a girly dance while jumping up and down screaming and Elena screamed thank you over and over again. She really looked excited and happy. Jenna smiled, Jeremy smiled. It was a good day._

_Suddenly the doorbell rang and Elena girlishly giggled and beelined for the door, she flung it open and jumped onto Damon, Damon flipped her over so he was giving her a piggyback and walked into the house._

"_Hey Jenna, Jeremy" he said as if it was perfectly normal to have Elena on his back_

"_Oh JEREMY!" Jenna hummed, " Um, can you help me find the um, cutlery set, y'know, the fancy one for tonight? _

_Jeremy looked at her with little interest, " Jenna, we're going to the Grill for tonight. Remember?"_

_Jenna just grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him out of the room, Damon sat down on the couch and Elena crawled into his lap._

_He handed her a small navy coloured box,_

" _OOH, what is it?" Elena asked herself_

" _You'll have to open and see," Damon said playfully_

_Elena opened the box and gasped, inside was a delicate silver charm bracelet that had letter charms hanging off of the links and other little trinkets like an ice cream cone hanging off the links._

_Elena picked it up with wonder, the letters spelt?_

" _D-E-L-E-N-A? It our names mixed!" Elena shouted happily, she shoved her wrist in front and Damon's face and shook the bracelet._

" _Put it on put it on put it on!" Elena squeaked_

_Damon smiled and fastened the bracelet on Elena's wrist, it was a perfect fit._

Elena pulled herself out of her memories and decided to order up a bottle of tequila, soon she was completely drunk and loving it.

She tottered out of the grill and started to walk home when suddenly something pushed her into the side of a house.

Elena not being coherent mumbled, "hmmm?"

Somebody pushed her up against the cold wall and begin to kiss her, Elena slowly began to sift through her head to see _if_ somebody should even be kissing her and she concluded she didn't have a boyfriend. But when someone's hands drifted lower, Elena backed away.

She knew what was going to happen, the man's face was partially hidden by his sweatshirt hood and he walked closer.

" Now sweetcheeks, don't be like that"

Elena had an expression of pure fear on her face when the man crept closer and closer until she heard a sickening crack, and the man was lying on the ground several feet away.

Elena slowly looked up and stared, a familiar blue-eyed boy was staring at her.

"Da-mon?"

**OMG! Guys, I was done this chapter yesterday and I was trying to post it and I accidentally clicked the previous chapter! I am so so so sorry! But here is the real third chapter FROM THIS NOTE AND DOWN! and I deleted the repeat of the second chapter. Also, I tried to post the next chapter but it didnt work so after this note is the third chapter okay? Once again, thanks for so many reviews! You rock!**

"_Um,_ _uh, I'm sorry… It just…" Elena turned beet red again and hid her face in his chest_

_Damon lovingly stroked her back, "It's okay; I'll wait forever when it comes to you"_

_Elena nodded at him and then whispered in his ear, "Now, gets out of my room and knock on the door and pretend you just got here mister!" Elena laughed quietly_

_Damon gave her one last 1000 mega watt smile and disappeared out the window, Elena ran downstairs and said hi to JENNA AND JEREMY._

"_Elena, Happy birthday!" Jeremy smiled at her and gave her a bear hug, he handed her a flat wrapped box and Elena ripped the wrapping open._

_Inside was a framed and coloured drawing of Damon and Elena sitting on a beautiful creek with a full moon above their heads and flora and fauna surrounding them. The frame was a mahogany with silver speckles rubbed in and it shone like a miniature sun._

"_It-it-its' beautiful!" Elena stammered, Jeremy was so awesome!_

"_I'm glad you like it," Jeremy said throwing a happy grin at her_

_Jenna came up next and gave Elena a hug, " Happy B-DAY! And here's your present!"_

_Elena ripped off the wrapping paper and stared, it was a pair of keys? Yeah keys, to what?_

_Jenna grinned, "I brought you a condo in Upper City Flats, a penthouse!"_

_Elena and Jenna did a girly dance while jumping up and down screaming and Elena screamed thank you over and over again. She really looked excited and happy. Jenna smiled, Jeremy smiled. It was a good day._

_Suddenly the doorbell rang and Elena girlishly giggled and did a beeline for the door, she flung it open and jumped onto Damon, Damon flipped her over so he was giving her a piggyback and walked into the house._

"_Hey Jenna, Jeremy" he said as if it was perfectly normal to have Elena on his back_

"_Oh JEREMY!" Jenna hummed, "Um, can you help me find the um, cutlery set, y'know, the fancy one for tonight? _

_Jeremy looked at her with little interest, "Jenna, we're going to the Grill for tonight. Remember?"_

_Jenna just grabbed him by the shirt and dragged him out of the room, Damon sat down on the couch and Elena crawled into his lap._

_He handed her a small navy coloured box,_

"_OOH, what is it?" Elena asked herself_

"_You'll have to open and see," Damon said playfully_

_Elena opened the box and gasped, inside was a delicate silver charm bracelet that had letter charms hanging off of the links and other little trinkets like an ice cream cone hanging off the links._

_Elena picked it up with wonder, the letters spelt?_

" _D-E-L-E-N-A? It our names mixed!" Elena shouted happily, she shoved her wrist in front and Damon's face and shook the bracelet._

"_Put it on put it on put it on!" Elena squeaked_

_Damon smiled and fastened the bracelet on Elena's wrist, it was a perfect fit._

_Elena pulled herself out of her memories and decided to order up a bottle of tequila, soon she was completely drunk and loving it._

_She tottered out of the grill and started to walk home when suddenly something pushed her into the side of a house._

_Elena not being coherent mumbled, "Hmmm?"_

_Somebody pushed her up against the cold wall and begin to kiss her, Elena slowly began to sift through her head to see __if__ somebody should even be kissing her and she concluded she didn't have a boyfriend. But when someone's hands drifted lower, Elena backed away._

_She knew what was going to happen, the man's face was partially hidden by his sweatshirt hood and he walked closer._

"_Now sweet cheeks, don't be like that"_

_Elena had an expression of pure fear on her face when the man crept closer and closer until she heard a sickening crack and the man was lying on the ground several feet away._

_Elena slowly looked up and stared, a familiar blue-eyed boy was staring at her._

"_Da-mon?" _

Through the thick fog of alcohol that was confusing her, Elena recognized Damon, she stared at his with wide eyes and he stared back. Elena quickly turned and fumbled with the buckle to open her clutch, she fished out the keys to her Penthouse and began to walk there, and Damon just looked at her retreating figure, knowing where she was going and not stopping her.

Elena tottered along for several more minutes until she reached her penthouse, she pushed open the door and flung off her heels. She yanked off her tights, balling them up and throwing them into a corner. Elena pulled off her grey beaded dress and ran frantically towards her closet, she pushed open a certain closet door and kneeled on the floor as she looked through it.

Inside, was everything that Damon had given her, left behind or something that reminded Elena of him? Elena skimmed past the silver bracelet that had the words D-E-L-E-N-A on it and the leather jacket that Damon gave her. Elena found what she was looking for, the cream white v-neck shirt that Damon had left behind- the shirt he had left behind, right after he…

Elena shook her head and grabbed up the shirt, she quickly pulled on an old plaid Burberry tank top, and a pair of cut off True Religion jean shorts that had pen designs all over the legs. She hopped into her king sized bed with satin black sheets and put the white shirt close to her nose.

She inhaled deeply; a rush of emotions filled her. The white shirt smelled like heaven for Elena, it had a tinge of leather, whisky, spice, a teensy bit of the vanilla perfume Elena was wearing the day he _left her after he did what he did_, and something else Elena couldn't quite place.

Several hours later, Elena awoke feeling a little less nauseous and a lot less drunk. She opened her medicine cabinet and put some Tylenol in her mouth, she dry-swallowed and sat on the royal purple chaise in the middle of the room. She propped her head up against the fancy goose down pillow and tried to think rationally.

Damon was back,

Damon came back,

Damon was back after what he did,

Damon came back to finish things with me with proper closure?

Damon was back to haunt me?

Damon was back to apologize?

Damon was back to come back to me?

Damon missed me?

Damon loved me?

Too many thoughts clouded Elena's head, and she felt a wake of nausea pass by her. She stumbled to the bathroom and began to heave, she threw up noisily into the sink and kept throwing up. Elena was gasping to catch her breath, Elena took several deep breaths and drank a glass of water.

She curled up on the ground shivering, not knowing what was real, not knowing what was happening, and wishing she would just die.

Again, she woke up several hours later feeling better so she changed into some new clothes, she pulled on a t-shirt from DKNY and a pair of black workout shorts from Nike.

She grabbed a cup of steaming hot Vanilla Mocha and sipped it as she tapped her finger on her leg, Damon was back.

All the rage came floating back, DAMON left her, he left without a word, leaving Elena to cope. Elena had cried in her bed for ages, sobbing over him, wanting him back but every time she tried to call it said this number is gone.

Elena couldn't help but think about that day, that day was 3 weeks after he left her.

_Start Flashback, Now!_

_Elena sat in her bed sobbing and clutching at Damon's white T-shirt, it smelled like him, it smelled like home, it smelled a teensy bit of vanilla!_

_Elena turned on her side as Jenna entered the room, Jenna was holding a cup of vanilla hot chocolate and a plate of small soft chocolate chip cookie._

_Jenna gently laid the food down on the bedside table and sat next to Elena,_

"_Elena, he's not coming back. He fooled us all, he fooled you, it wasn't right of him to do that, but please Elena! You're, you're scaring us." Jenna finished with a tiny voice_

_Elena sobbed into Jenna's shoulder, DAMON LEFT HER! He didn't answer any calls or texts, it was like he disappeared off the planet!_

_Jenna tried hard to act like Elena's real mother would act- she needed to be stable, be a rock for Elena, and be something constant. Soon Elena's sobs muffled into tiny sobs and soon into light snoring._

_Jenna smiled at the sleeping Elena and walked out of the room, shutting it behind her softly._

_END FLASHBACK! _

Elena sobbed into her arm, Damon was back. What was he gonna do to her?

**Omg! Wow! Guys please keep up the good reviewing and review my other stories too, I love how you guys all really reviewed! It makes me ecstatic! So guys remember, if you guys review like this, I WILL update! **

_Bye! I love you guys!_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Million Dollar Question**

_Elena couldn't help but think about that day, that day was 3 weeks after he left her._

_Start Flashback, Now!_

_Elena sat in her bed sobbing and clutching at Damon's white T-shirt, it smelled like him, it smelled like home, it smelled a teensy bit of vanilla!_

_Elena turned on her side as Jenna entered the room, Jenna was holding a cup of vanilla hot chocolate and a plate of small soft chocolate chip cookies._

_Jenna gently laid the food down on the bedside table and sat next to Elena,_

_"Elena, he's not coming back. He fooled us all, he fooled you, it wasn't right of him to do that, but please Elena! You're, you're scaring us." Jenna finished with a tiny voice_

_Elena sobbed into Jenna's shoulder, DAMON LEFT HER! He didn't answer any calls or texts, it was like he disappeared off the planet!_

_Jenna tried hard to act like Elena's real mother would act- she needed to be stable, be a rock for Elena, and be something constant. Soon Elena's sobs muffled into tiny sobs and soon into light snoring._

_Jenna smiled at the sleeping Elena and walked out of the room, shutting it behind her softly._

_END FLASHBACK! _

_Elena sobbed into her arm, Damon was back. What was he gonna do to her?_

Damon stood outside Elena's door, he heard her crying and he longed to go inside. He NEEDED to know if she was okay! Using one finger, he pushed on the metal hinges and the crumbled to dust. The door was about to fall down so he grabbed it and laid it on the ground.

Elena screamed when she saw him, backing away, and her heart was beating rapidly. He slowly walked towards her not wanting to scare her, " Elena, please, let me explain."

Elena squeaked as her back his the wall, Damon stopped walking. Elena stood up slowly, staring at him the entire time and walked away to her room. She walked back and opened her mouth, " Rick always kept me well stocked if there was a unwelcome person here. Oops, a DEAD unwelcome person."

Elena uncapped the vervain grenade and chucked it at Damon, it hit Damon in the face and he screamed in agony. He using his vampire speed disappeared out of the room as tears of pain fluttered down his face.

Elena sat there breathing heavily, she decided to call Rick. The dial tone beeped:

" Hey Elena"

" H-he's back" Elena whispered feeling the dark suck her in

5 minutes later , Rick walked into Elena's suite. She was lying on the ground unconscious, he saw the shattered remnants of a vervain grenade around her and she looked like a living corpse. There were dark shadows around her eyes and cuts going up her wrist.

Rick gasped, was Elena… Was she cutting herself? He couldn't help but check her stomach too, was she anorexic as well? He placed a hand on her stomach, he could _feel_ her ribs.

He immediately began to run down the hallway and into his car, he fastened Elena into the backseat and drove her to the hospital. She had not woken from the unconsciousness.

Damon sat in his bed, tears streaming down his face, Elena did not want to speak to him. She must hate him, Damon felt worse than horrible for hurting her.

**The myriad of cuts on his stomach and arms that he had poured liquid vervain into them himself proved that. **

Even though Damon knew he was risking getting another vervain grenade in the face and possibly a stake to the heart, he _needed _to know how she was getting along.

He trudged over to her penthouse and realised she wasn't there, she must have left. He pushed open the bathroom door and found an empty bottle of beer and an assortment of items from Bath And Body Works.

He also found a razor with dried blood on it, when he sniffed it, he knew it was Elena's. Tears prickled at his eyes again, he had hurt her so much!

He opened her closet and opened a drawer. It had his leather jacket in it, the DELENA bracelet he had given her, a t-shirt of his, countless movie stubs and restaurant receipts and at several pictures of them smiling and laughing together.

He picked one of the pictures up, it was of him kissing Elena on the cheek while staring with playful annoyance at Alaric who was glaring at him. Bonnie was chasing Jeremy in the photo because he stole her hat, and in the picture, Jeremy had tripped over a bottle of scotch and was mid fall in the picture. Jenna was laughing and Caroline was whispering to Matt who looked like he was going to throw up. Elena looked marvellous in the picture, in the picture, she was winking at the camera, she looked beautiful.

Yup, he still remembered that day.

**I hope you guys liked the photo idea and review please!**


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